Chapter 1485: The Japanese Copper Trade

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhou Pu bowed his head respectfully. "In my early years, because I… because I abandoned the civil examinations, I followed my father as a maritime merchant and traveled to Japan many times for trade. The places I went were Nagasaki Port in Kyushu and the Kansai region of Japan, so I have some understanding of the local culture and geography."

"Some understanding is not enough." The Emperor shook his head. "You need to have a clear grasp of which powerful clans can be won over and which need to be struck down. When the army advances on Kyushu, if you can first win over some clans and have them cooperate with our landing, it will achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"I have already considered this point. I intend to disguise myself as a maritime merchant and set out for Nagasaki in Kyushu before long, to contact the powerful local clans opposed to the shogunate and have them coordinate with the imperial army's movements." Zhou Pu immediately replied. "The imperial army will not move until the turn of spring and summer next year, so in these few months, I can seize the time to contact the various anti-shogunate feudal lords in Japan and prepare for the coming military campaign!"

"Mm, it will be hard work for you all first." The Emperor nodded. "What kind of assistance do you need, then?"

"I request Your Majesty's permission to select a few capable and astute personnel from the Foreign Affairs Department who are familiar with conditions in Japan to serve as my assistants and help me complete the liaison work. And… I hope to obtain several merchant ships so we can disguise ourselves as a trading company. Also, if possible, I would like to have a few brave and quick-witted men to serve as guards…" Zhou Pu seized this opportunity to state his requests.

"Assistants, of course you must have them. The Foreign Affairs Department may be small, but it can still spare a few people, can it not?" The Emperor glanced at Kong Zhang. "Merchant ships are no problem either. The Commerce Minister holds the merchant ships of the former Cloud Mountain Trading Company — transferring a few from there is simple enough, surely? However, the more people there are, the harder it is to keep secrets. That is a difficulty… I will have a word with him later and have him transfer the ships. The people on board need not know the details of your mission. As for guards… we might as well assign a few of my own imperial guards to you."

Assign the Emperor's own imperial guards to him? Zhou Pu was so stunned he could not speak for a moment. He had only asked for guards as a tentative bargaining chip — after all, a maritime merchant without a contingent of guards would be suspicious. He had not held much hope in his heart, never imagining the Emperor would actually agree outright and even propose sending his own imperial guards to serve as the trading company's guards… This was truly an immense favor.

"I thank Your Majesty for your grace… I am overwhelmed with gratitude!" He hurriedly expressed his thanks to the Emperor.

"You are handling matters for me, venturing alone into dangerous territory at great risk. If I could not even satisfy a few requests, would I not be miserly? This is only right." The Emperor smiled. "However, Zhou Pu, since ancient times the unorthodox and orthodox complement each other. Your communication with the Kyushu clans is only a supporting role — the main effort must still rely on Zhao Song and the others using guns and cannons to fight. So do not, in your eagerness to achieve merit, bring peril upon yourselves. Contact as many clans as you can, but it is better to contact fewer than to let secrets leak out. Do you understand? After we have swept through Kyushu, those clans will inevitably submit to us in awe. Then it will be far easier to direct them northward."

"I understand!" Zhou Pu immediately assented. "I was thinking exactly as Your Majesty has said."

"Good! Since you both have the will, I grant your request! We shall proceed according to the two-pronged advance plan!" The Emperor let out a long breath and finally declared his decision in a loud voice. "Zhou Pu, Zhao Song, you will stay a while longer these coming days and communicate more with each other. First, finalize the plan for attacking Kyushu and the method of liaison for that time. Then, Zhou Pu, you will go to Kyushu. And Zhao Song, you and the lads under your command will rendezvous. Use these few months to drill on the water first. I do not ask that you drill to perfection — at the very least, do not get seasick. Can you do that?"

"I understand!" Zhao Song also loudly assented.

After Zhao Song assented, the Emperor turned his head again and looked at Liu Tao, Marquis of Jiujiang. "Marquis of Jiujiang, you will also have to work hard during this period. Begin by drawing out the fleet. There is no need to tell them the details of the operation against Japan — just have them train well for now. Also, most of the army soldiers we are drawing this time are northerners and may not be accustomed to sea vessels. Your people must specially assist with this."

"I understand this. Once I return, I will write to the two fleet commanders and have them specially draw out elite warships and officers to coordinate with this operation." Liu Tao, Marquis of Jiujiang, hurriedly assented. "Furthermore, this time I will dispatch my most trusted and capable men to serve as the commander of the formed fleet. I will absolutely not allow the navy to delay Your Majesty's grand plan!"

"It is good that you have such resolve." The Emperor nodded slightly in approval. "By the way, you might as well have some naval vessels disguise themselves as pirates recently. First, they can drive off passing merchant ships to screen the assembly of our army and navy, and also clear out foreign merchant ships in advance to lay the foundation for our nation's monopoly on trade with Japan. Second, the fleet can also assemble under the pretext of guarding against pirates, so as not to arouse the shogunate's suspicions…"

"I understand! I will set about it immediately!" The Marquis of Jiujiang assented once more.

And so, in the course of the meeting's discussion, the strategic plan for the operation against Japan was settled. First, assemble forces from Liaodong and Shandong, then transport them to Busan Port in Korea for assembly, then advance on Kyushu and occupy the entire island. Next, the main army would split into a primary and a supporting force. The primary force, the Han army's main strength, would advance on Yokosuka and strike directly at the shogunate's throat. The supporting force, a coalition of a small number of Han troops and the local Kyushu clans, would land on Honshu to the north and then march all the way north to Kyoto, seizing the Japanese imperial court and raising the banner of the Great Han restoring justice for the Japanese court, in order to win the hearts of the Japanese people and tie down the shogunate's forces.

This operational plan was both extremely bold and closely tailored to the actual situation in Japan. After deliberation, it was probably the most efficient plan, and the one most capable of achieving the goal of a swift and decisive victory.

"Right — since we are raising a great army, we must at least have a banner that convinces the public, must we not?" Just then, the Prime Minister suddenly thought of a problem. "A great power sending troops for a small country's court — although it can claim the moral high ground, it always seems somewhat lacking in persuasive force…"

"The Great Han is the Celestial Empire; Japan is nothing but a petty state. If we want to strike them, we strike them — what need is there for any pretext?" Marshal Shi Manqiang said with a laugh. "The Japanese shogunate rules with tyranny and lawlessness, and the country of Japan ought to be our vassal state. So if they deserve a beating, they get a beating!"

"Marshal Shi is not wrong in what he says, only it cannot be proclaimed openly. Although our dynasty may discipline the surrounding vassal states as it pleases, it is still better to have a just cause for war, lest the vassal states all feel threatened and harmony be lost instead." The Emperor also laughed. "See if you can find a passable reason."

The assembled ministers exchanged glances once more, all finding it rather difficult.

The Great Han's previous opponents in war had been either the remnants of the former Ming or the Manchus and Mongols — all natural enemies of the Great Han. They struck when they wished; there was no need to find any pretext. But Japan was different. Ever since the Edo Shogunate usurped power, that country had pursued a policy of national seclusion, not even wanting to involve itself with foreigners — so how could one speak of it provoking another country?

In particular, after the Edo Shogunate had learned the lesson of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's failed invasion of Korea, which had drained his clan's power to the point that his line was extinguished and his clan destroyed, it had adopted a policy of keeping China at a respectful distance. It had always been exceedingly cautious, never daring to offend China. Even former Ming imperial clansmen and scholars loyal to the Ming who had fled abroad to Japan had all been deported back to China by them.

Since they were so cautious and prudent, it was rather difficult to find a reasonable pretext to launch a punitive expedition.

"As for a pretext, we do have one here, though it is still somewhat forced…" At that moment, a minister from the Ministry of Commerce who was attending the meeting spoke up.

The Ministry of Commerce was a new ministry established within the cabinet after the founding of the new dynasty, overseeing all commercial affairs nationwide. Moreover, after the Emperor had entrusted the Cloud Mountain Trading Company to the imperial court for management, it was also operated by the Ministry of Commerce. Since the Cloud Mountain Trading Company had previously operated as a monopoly in many places, the Ministry of Commerce in fact held a vast portfolio of state assets and effectively monopolized China's overseas maritime trade. It was therefore a colossal entity.

Since it was responsible for the entire maritime trade enterprise, it had reason to attend this meeting on the campaign against Japan.

The cabinet minister overseeing the Ministry of Commerce was titled "Commerce Minister," a post currently held by Zhou Xuezhi, Marquis of Shangdang. Today, because the Marquis of Shangdang was in poor health, he had not attended the meeting, and another official from the Ministry of Commerce had to attend in his place.

"What reason?" the Emperor immediately asked.

"We have only just received word that the shogunate has suddenly halted the export of copper ore to our country." This minister answered with great deference. "Because I received this news on my way here, I have not yet had the chance to report it to Your Majesty."

"Halted the export of copper ore to our country?" The Emperor furrowed his brow. "Why? Have they gotten wind of something?"

Although the new dynasty did not plan to mint large quantities of copper coinage any longer, copper was one of the most vital strategic materials. Manufacturing cannons and warships required vast amounts of copper, but because the copper produced domestically was insufficient to meet demand, the new dynasty had to import it from abroad every year, and the primary source of these imports was Japan.

The more important question was why the Japanese shogunate would suddenly halt copper ore exports to the new dynasty. If they had halted exports because they had heard the Great Han might attack them, then the problem was even more troublesome, because the shogunate might also make preparations in other areas, and the blow delivered by the Great Han's sudden offensive would not be so devastating.

This was the most worrisome point.

Fortunately, however, this Ministry of Commerce official quickly dispelled everyone's misgivings.

"The shogunate's official message has not yet been transmitted. However, according to the merchant ship fleet that reported this news to us, this matter appears to have a specific cause and is not directed at our dynasty…"

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